


what you're looking for has been here the whole time

by CuboneGirl13



Series: ephemeral [3]
Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, First Kiss, M/M, the rating is just to be safe tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 23:38:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6214750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuboneGirl13/pseuds/CuboneGirl13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jack and Crutchie get their shit together and Kath is probably rejoicing somewhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	what you're looking for has been here the whole time

**[Jackie]: hey r u done w the history hw yet**

**[Sunshine ☼]: no why?**

**[Sunshine ☼]: if u were gonna ask to copy it i’ll hurt u**

**[Jackie]: nooooo**

**[Jackie]: ok maybe**

**[Jackie]: im sorry can i work on it w u**

**[Sunshine ☼]: i dunnooooo**

**[Jackie]: plssssssss**

**[Sunshine ☼]: ok fine i’ll be there soon**

-

Jack usually doesn’t bother doing his homework, because despite Crutchie’s many threats, he’s far too sweet to not let Jack copy it, but he needed an excuse to talk to the other boy, preferably alone. After all, Crutchie’s why Katherine broke up with him, may as well make it worth it.

 

Well, part of why. Laying all the blame on him would be mean and untrue. To be honest, Jack hadn't been putting enough effort into the relationship for a while, he didn't think it would be worth it after realizing a) he loved Katherine but not  _ like that  _ and b) that he _ did _ at least  _ like _ Crutchie like that. He shouldn't have let things drag on like they did, but hey, they broke up, so he can't really do anything about it now. Not that he'd even really  _ want _ to.

 

He's jolted out of these thoughts by the front door opening.

 

“Jack, where the hell are you?”

 

“I’m upstairs,” he yells, heart suddenly pounding.  _ Oh god this was such a bad idea oh no I can’t do this he’s gonna hate me I- _

 

“Honey, I’m home,” Crutchie laughed as he poked his head through the doorway of Jack’s room. “You realize I was knocking for, like, five minutes?”

 

“Obviously  _ not _ . Where’s your key?”

 

“That is  _ not  _ important.”

 

“You lost it again, didn’t you?”

 

“...Yeah. Yeah, sorry, but hey, at least I remembered the spare key, right?”

 

Jack gives him a rather exasperated look in response.

 

“Come  _ on _ , don’t look at me like that, you’ve lost  _ tons _ of keys!”

 

“Whatever, it doesn’t really matter,” Jack says, pulling his binder out of his bookbag, “How far did you get with the homework?”

 

“I honestly haven’t even started, I really don’t wanna do it. I was probably gonna just copy from Specs in the morning or something.”

 

“You? Copy homework?” Jack gasps, looking appalled for a moment before his solemn look dissolves into giggles at the other boy’s unamused expression.

 

Crutchie sits down beside Jack on his bed before grabbing his hand.

 

“Hey, why are you picking? Did something happen?”

 

Jack stops for a moment, not even realizing he had been picking at his nails.

 

“Jack? Seriously, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah, uh, I mean, Kath broke up with me but that wasn't really a surprise.”

 

“Wait,  _ what? _ ” Crutchie exclaimed, Jack flinching at his raised voice. He apologizes, but Jack resumes picking at his nails.

 

He shrugs before answering, “I saw it coming, it’s not a big deal.”

 

Crutchie looks at him with concern in his eyes before taking hold of both of Jack’s hands.

 

“Seriously, are you alright? Breakups are always rough and I know you really liked her and-”

 

Before he can talk himself out of it, Jack leans over and kisses Crutchie, silencing the other boy. He stiffens at the contact, making Jack regret his decision. He pulls back, prepared to apologize, only for Crutchie to follow, not breaking contact. The two pull apart after a moment, looking at each other, both red in the face.

 

“You, uh, you wanna talk about what that was?”

 

“Not really,” Jack replies, staring down at his lap, “But it’s kind of necessary, isn’t it?”

 

“ _ No shit. _ ”

 

“Well. Um. I. Kath- Katherine broke up with me because she thinks I like you. More than I like her.”

 

“Is that- is that true? Because otherwise, things are gonna be really weird.”

 

“Nah, not at all, I just kissed you because I hate your guts,” Jack deadpans before getting hit in the arm.

 

“Dude, I’m being serious, stop fucking around for, like, two seconds.”

 

“...Yeah. She was right. She's always right.”

 

They sit in silence for a moment, Jack gnawing on his nails for what feels like the millionth time that day.

 

“So, what now? I mean, I don't wanna just forget about this but it's your call.”

 

Jack’s head suddenly pops up. “Wait, what?”

 

“I mean, I’ve wanted to do that since we were, like,  _ ten _ , so I mean, of course  _ I _ don’t want to.”

 

“Wait,  _ what?” _

 

“You mean you didn’t  _ know _ ?” Crutchie laughs in disbelief, “Man, and I thought I was so obvious.”

 

“ _ Obviously not!” _

 

“Nah, you’re just really oblivious.”

 

“I- uh, I-” Jack sputters before taking a deep breath, “I don’t want to forget about all this. I, um. I wanna date you?”

 

“Are you  _ saying _ that or are you  _ asking _ ?” Crutchie says with a raised eyebrow and an amused look on his face.

 

“I’m saying. Yeah, I’m  _ saying _ . I wanna date you and be your boyfriend and all that shit and please shut me up before I say something stupid I don’t kn-  _ oh _ ”

 

His  _ boyfriend _ leans over once again and does, in fact, shut him up quite effectively.

**Author's Note:**

> AND THEN THEY SMOOCHED


End file.
